Roll changing arrangement for a rolling mill

ABSTRACT

The disclosure of this invention relates to a rolling mill wherein the chocks of the work roll on the drive side of the mill are split to enable the work rolls to be removed and replaced while strip is still being passed between the rolls. The chocks of the work rolls on the operating side can be nested or split. The work roll chocks are provided with wheels which during the roll changing operation are carried by a pair of upper tracks secured to the housings and chocks of the upper backup roll and by a pair of lower tracks carried only by the housings. A bridge is located at the front of the mill between a side shifting unit and the mill. The bridge has tracks which serve as continuations of the housing tracks and which receive the wheels of the work roll chocks as the rolls are brought to and from the mill to transfer them from and to the side shifter.

United States Patent [1 1 Adair [541 ROLL CHANGING ARRANGEMENT son A ROLLING MILL [75] Inventor: James Richard Adair, Pittsburgh, Pa. [73] Assignee: wean United, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: Jan. 10, 1972 211 App]. No.: 216,599

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Swift 72/238 Aug. 28, 1973 Primary Examiner-Milton S. Mehr Attomey-Henry C. Westin [57] ABSTRACT The disclosure of this invention relates to a rolling mill wherein the checks of the work roll on the drive side of the mill are split to enable the work rolls to be removed and replaced while strip is still being passed between the rolls. The checks of the work rolls on the operating side can be nested or split. The work roll chocks are provided with wheels which during the roll changing operation are carried by a pair of upper tracks secured to the housings and checks of the upper backup roll and by a pair of lower tracks carried only by the housings. A bridge is located at the front of the mill between a side shifting unit and the mill. The bridge has tracks which serve as continuations of the housing tracks and which receive the wheels of the work roll chocks as the rolls are brought to and from the mill to transfer them from and to the side shifter.

11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 28,1973 3,754,426

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Aug. 28, 1973 3,754,426

5 Sheets-Sheet L5 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug 28, 1973 Patented Aug. 28, 1973 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 MW .H 6 no it, U W Ill: 1! w H l\llr I H JZE I JQHW Twhh J h 2 I: 0 9 1 a 2 IL E J E L M w LPIIIII lllllln m E g "I w x M W \M FL ///Am m 2 rlllllllvv lllll ROLL CHANGING ARRANGEMENT FOR A ROLLING MILL In an attempt to improve the productivity of the rolling mills, and particularly high-speed tandem cold mills, much effort in recent years has been given to developing a system that would allow the work rolls of one or more stands to be changed while the strip is still passing through these stands and is being rolled by the other stands of the mill.

The present invention provides an improved mill arrangement for economically and efficiently carrying out the aforesaid object.

It provides a work roll chock and supporting arrangement that allows the work rolls to be held and transferred into and out of the mill without interfering with the passing strip.

More particularly, the present invention provides for the drive side chocks of the work rolls to be split and for the upper chock to be carried by a first track and the lower chock by a second track, whereas the operating side chocks of the work roll are nested in which the lower chock thereof is received in the upper chock, and the operating side lower chock is carried by the second track, whereas the operating side upper chock is carried by both the first and second tracks.

It is a further features of the present invention to provide a bridge and a side shifter on the operating side of the mill, the bridge being arranged between the mill and the side shifter, in which both the bridge and the side shifter have tracks serving as extensions of the tracks of the mill, the upper track of the side shifter only being provided at its end adjacent the bridge for carrying the drive side chock of the upper work roll.

These objects, as well as other novel features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated when the following description is read along with the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. I is an elevational view of one of the stands of a tandem mill incorporating the features of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an elevational view at the operators side of the window of the mill shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG.

In referring first to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a rolling upper backup roll 16 and the bottom of the screws 26 have been removed to the right, as shown in FIG. I. The sled 25 at the The chocks of the lower backup roll 17 are carried in a roll changing sled 25, the lower surface of which is received in the windows 12 and 13. The chocks 24 of the upper backup roll 16 are adapted to be engaged indirectly by screws 26 arranged in each housing 10 and 11. FIG. 1 actually showing the chocks 24 of the upper backup roll 16 separated from the screws 26 since this drawing is meant to depict the roll changing position of the work rolls. In this case, the pressureblock assemblies 27 that are provided between the chocks 24 of the upper backup roll 16 and the bottom of the screws 26 have been removed to the right, as shown in FIG. I. The sled 25 at the bottom of the mill rests on pistons of piston cylinder assemblies 28 arranged in the lower portion of each housing 10 and 11. The work rolls l4 and 15 are adapted to be driven and for which purpose there are provided driving spindles 31 connected to a power source, not shown.

At the operators side of the mill there is provided a bridge 33 and a side shifter 34, the functions and descriptions of which will be given later.

Reference will now be made to FIGS. 2 and 3 in order to more fully describe the characteristics of the chocks of the rolls l4, l5, l6 and 17. FIG. 2 depicts the characteristics of the front or operating side chocks of the work rolls l4 and I5, and associated mill elements. In this connection, it will be noted that the chock 18 of the upper work roll 14 has downwardly extending leg portions 36 that provide an opening 37 for receiving the vertical sides of the lower front work roll chock 22. The adjacent vertical surfaces of these chocks are provided in the usual manner with liners 38. Similar liners are provided between the housing 10 and the outside vertical surfaces of the chock of the upper work roll 14, in which connection it will be noted that the housing is indented by portions 42. Wheels 40 are provided at the lower portions of the chock 22, and, while not seen in FIG. 2, they do appear in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5. The work mill comprising two upright spaced-apart housings l0 and 11, each of which, according to customary designs, are provided with windows 12 and 13 into which are received the bearing chock assemblies of the rolls of the mill. The rolls comprise work rolls 14 and 15, each of which are backed up by backup rolls l6 and 17, respectively, and arranged on the opposite side of the pass-line of the mill. The work roll 14 has bearing chock assemblies 18 and 19, whereas the lower work roll 15 has bearing chock assemblies 22 and 23. Likewise, the backup rolls have bearing chock assemblies 24. FIG. 1 actually showing the chocks 24 of the upper backup roll 16 separated from the screws 26 since this drawing is meant to depict the roll changing position of the work rolls. In this case, the pressure-block assemblies 27 that are provided between the chocks 24 of the roll chocks l8 and 22 are equipped with balance cylinder assemblies 43 arranged in the lower chock 22, which are retracted in view of the fact that the drawing depicts the roll changing position of the components. In still referring to FIG. 2 and with reference to the chock 24 of the upper backup roll 16, it also is provided with downwardly projecting portions 41 which terminate into tracks 44. These tracks have guiding surfaces adapted to guide and support wheels 45 provided at' the top of the front chock 18 of the upper work roll 14. Somewhat larger wheels 46 are provided in the legs 36 of thechock 18 which engage tracks 47 mounted in the housings l0 and 11. These tracks, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, run from the front of the-mill through the space between the housings and terminate at the back of the housing 11, actually having an extended portion 48 beyond the housing 11, the purpose of which will be described later. The vertical surface of the operating side chocks 24 of the backup rolls I6 and 17 are provided with the usual liners 49 that allow them to slide vertically relative to the housing 10.

Referring now to FIG. 3, which depicts that back or drive side of the rolling mill, it will be noted that the chocks I9 and 23 of the work rolls I4 and 15 are split in counter-distinction to the nested relationship of the work roll chocks l8 and 22 at the operating side of the mill. This split construction allows the chocks 19 and 23 to be axially moved in and out of the mill without interfering with a strip passing between the rolls 14 and 15. The chock 19 of the upper roll 14 has lined vertical surfaces that engage projecting portions 51 of the housing 11, which portions are protected by liners 52. At the top of the chocks l9, horizontal extending wheels 53 are provided which engage tracks 54 extending downwardly from the chock 24 of the backup roll 16. The tracks 54, as shown in FIG. 3, are actually hinged to the drive side chock 24 by pins 55 and serve as extensions both the tracks 44, as well as tracks 56, formed on the drive side backup chock 24 similar to the tracks 44 of the front backup chock 24. It will be noted, and which is confirmed by looking at FIG. 1, that the hinge construction just described is also employed with respect to the chock 24 at the front of the mill so that the tracks 54 extend between and are secured by the upper backup chocks 24.

The chock 23 of the lower work roll is also provided with liners 57 that engage the portions 51 of the housing 11 and have two pairs of spaced-apart wheels 58 arranged at their outer lower portions that engage the upper surfaces of the tracks 47, already identified with respect to FIG. 2. As in the case of the chock 22,

' the chock 23 is provided with balance cylinder assemblies 59, shown retracted in view of the roll changing position of the mill components. The drive side backup chocks 24 for the backup rolls l6 and 17 are provided with vertical liners 60 that allow for vertical movement of the backup chocks.

More specifically referring now to the various tracks earlier identified and the wheels of the chocks that engage them, reference will be made to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, in which regard it will be noted thatthe two pairs of wheels 40 and 46 of the frontwork roll chocks l8 and 22 generally fall in the same longitudinal plane. As one views FIG. 4, the foremost wheels 40 mounted on the work roll chock 22 of the lower roll 15 fall immediately ahead of the wheels 46, which are secured to the leg portions 36 of the chock 18 of the upper work roll 14. Since the upper work roll 14 must move towards the lower roll 15 to set the pass opening of the mill during rolling, the tracks 47 are provided with slots 63 immediately below the operating position of the wheels 46 of the upper work roll chock 18. In order to support the upper chock until the wheels 46 pass over the slots 63, the pair of wheels 45 at the top of the chock 18 are spaced to the left of the wheels 46, as one views FIG. 4, and during roll changing are in engagement with the tracks 44. During the period while roll changing that the wheels 46 are in the slot areas, the chock 18 is only supported by the wheels 45, whereas, during the remainder of the time, the chock will be supported by both the wheels 45 and the wheels 46.

Referring now to the drive side chock 23 of the lower work roll 15, the two pairs of wheels 58 are spaced apart with reference to the length of the slots 63 in the rails 47 so that, in removing the rolls from the mill, the chock 23 will be supported by the back wheel 58 while the front wheel 58 is passing over the slot 63. The reverse will take place when the rolls are moved into the mill. In referring now to the chock 19 at the drive side of the work roll 14, its pair of wheels 53, as noted in FIG. 4, are arranged at the very back of the chock assembly so that the chock 19 can be supported by the track network 44, 54 and 56 during the entire period that the work rolls are moved from the mill. In order to allow the bridge 33 to be brought into a convenient position directly in front of the housing 10, the front chock 24 of the backup roll 16 is provided with an extending portion 65 on which the tracks 44 are formed and which cooperation with the bridge 33 is shown at the left-hand side of FIG. 4.

In referring now to FIG. 1 and with reference to the bridge unit 33, it will be noted that it is provided with a pair of lower tracks 67 which form continuations of the tracks 47 that service the lower work roll chocks 22 and 23. In like manner, a pair of upper tracks 68 are provided at the top of the bridge unit 33 that serve as continuations of the tracks 44 that service the chocks 18 and 19 of the upper work roll 14. The bridge is designed to be readily inserted and removed from in front of the mill and is actually mounted on a base member 69 or extension that serves as an extension of a car assembly 71, the car being mounted on rails 72 which are engaged by wheels 73 rotatably carried by the chassis of the car 71, the car 71 being driven by a power source 74. The extension 69, when positioned in front of the mill, engages a bracket 75 that supports the front end of the bridge 33.

The car 71 also supports the side shifter 34 which is provided with two pairs of side-by-side tracks 76 for supporting a new pair of work roll assemblies to be inserted into the mill and a pair of used work roll assemblies that are retracted from the mill. The tracks of each of these pairs, depending on which pair is positioned in front of the mill, will serve as extensions of the tracks 67 and 68 of the bridge 33. The positioning of the tracks is brought about by a rack and pinion 77 that drives the side shifter 34 over the tracks 78 in a direction parallel to the steel line of the mill.

At the front of the side shifter car 34 a second bridge unit 79 is provided having a pair of spaced-apart tracks 80 that form continuations of the tracks 68 of the bridge unit 33. It is important to note that the tracks 80 are made long enough so that when the roll assemblies are positioned on the side shifter, the wheels 53 of the upper drive side chock 19 of the work roll 14 will still be in engagement with and supported by the tracks 80. It will also be noted that a second bridge unit 79 will be provided for the new roll set which, when shifted into position in front of the mill, will line up with the bridge unit 33.

There remains one additional element to be described that has reference to the replacement of the work rolls l4 and 15, which is shown only in FIG. 1. As noted, the lower drive side work roll chock 23 is provided with a hook 81 that is adapted to be engaged by a cooperative hook element 82 connected to a ram 83. The ram is adapted to be driven through the mill by a power means, not shown. The front end of the ram 83 is supported by two pairs of wheels 84 arranged to engage the extension 48 of the tracks 47.

A brief description of withdrawal of the work roll assemblies will not be given. As noted before, the drawings depict the roll changing position of the various mill components, in which connection the lower backup roll 17 has been lowered on operation of the piston cylinder assemblies 28 to allow the lower work roll 15 to be lowered and its wheels 40 and 58 to engage the tracks 47. In a like manner, the upper backup roll 16 has been raised to cause the tracks 44 and 56 to engage the wheels 45 and 53, respectively.

The lowering and raising of the backup rolls l7 and 16, respectively, provides an opening between the work roll and brings them out of engagement with the strip passing through the mill. The raising of the chocks 24 of the backup roll 16 is accomplished by lifting the screws 26 a sufficient distance to allow the bearing blocks 27 to be withdrawn from under the screws to a position shown in FIG. 1. The actual amount or distance that the upper backup roll 16 is raised is controlled by the consideration that the tracks 44 must be brought into alignment with the tracks 68 of the bridge unit 33, the tracks 68 being a fixed distance from the floor line. The registry of the tracks can be accomplished in any number of ways, for example, by a pin operated by a piston cylinder assembly that will position the upper chocks 24 relative to the housings l0 and 11. As noted previously, the balance cylinders, for example, the work roll balance cylinders 43 and 59, are retracted so as to avoid their interfering with or contacting the strip as the rolls are moved axially.

Prior to the separation of the work rolls preparatory to roll changing, the car 71, which, as noted before, includes the bridge unit 33 and the bridge unit 79, is brought to a position in front of the mill and arranged so that an empty pair of tracks 76 are provided in front of the mill toreceive the roll assemblies 14 and to be removed from the mill. The rolls are removed by simply operating the ram 83 to cause the pair of rolls l4 and 15 with their chock assemblies to move over their associated tracks onto the bridge unit 33 and eventually onto the side shifter 34. As previously described, the relationship of the several wheels to the tracks and slots 63 provide that the rolls throughout the entire transport will be supported in a manner that they are held out of contact with the strip passing between them. Particularly with respect to the chocks l9 and 23 at the drive side of the work rolls 14 15, they areindividually supported in a spaced-apart relationship and their split construction allows them to be moved over and under the strip passing through the mill. In bringing the new roll assemblies into the mill, the procedure is essentially reversed as above described, in which the side shifter 34 will position the second bridge unit 79 and the new set of rolls in front of the mill to be engaged by the ram 83.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a rolling mill comprising,

a housing,

a pair of working rolls arranged on the opposite sides of the passline of said mill and each having a drive side bearing chock and an operating side bearing chock received in said housing,

said bearing chocks at the respective ends of said working rolls being arranged to form cooperative pairs of bearing chocks,

said cooperative pairs of bearing chocks at the drive side being split in a manner that the adjacent surfaces thereof can be spaced from said mill passline during roll changing,

said cooperative pair of bearing chocks at the operating side being nested in a manner that one of the bearing chocks thereof is received and carried by the other bearing chock, and

means for supporting said drive side bearing chocks to maintain them spaced from said mill passline when moved into and out of said mill during roll changing.

2. In a rolling mill according to claim 1, including separate track means for separately supporting each bearing chock of said cooperative pairs.

3. In a rolling mill according to claim 1, including means adjacent the portion of said housing that receives the operating side bearing chocks for supporting said working rolls from said mill and including means for continuing said spaced supporting of said drive said bearing chocks.

4. A rolling mill comprising:

a pair of spaced-apart housings,

a pair of cooperative working rolls arranged one above the other and having bearing chocks on their front and back ends received in said housings,

a backup roll for at least said uppermost working roll having bearing chocks on its front and back ends received in said housings,

said back chocks of said working rolls each being vertically guided in said one housing,

said front chock of said uppermost working roll being guided vertically in said other housing,

said front chock of said lowermost working roll being received and vertically guided in said front chock said uppermost working roll,

said chocks of said uppermost working roll each having a supporting means,

said front chock of said uppermost working roll having an additional support means,

said chocks of said lowermost working roll each having a supporting means,

first track means arranged adjacent to the chocks of said uppermost working roll for supporting these chocks during roll changing, and

second track means arranged adjacent to the chocks of said lowermost working roll for supporting these chocks during roll changing.

5. In a rolling mill according to claim 4 where said first track means includes a pair of spaced-apart first supporting tracks extending between said housings adjacent to the top of said chocks of said uppermost working roll, and

second and third pairs of supporting tracks formed on said chocks of said backup rolls adapted to serve as a continuation of said first supporting tracks,

said second track means includes a fourth pair of supporting tracks carried by and extending between and through said housings adjacent the bottom of said chocks of said lowermost working rolls,

said fourth pair of supporting tracks having openings for receiving said additional supporting means,

said back side chocks of the lowermost working roll having a pair of supporting means spaced apart sufficiently to span said openings.

6. In a rolling mill according to claim 5 wherein said first supporting tracks are carried by said chocks of said backup roll. I

7. In a rolling mill according to claim 5 wherein said openings comprise slots formed in each of said fourth wherein said supporting means of said front chock of said uppermost working roll and said additional supporting means thereof are so arranged that said supporting means support the front chock of said uppermost working roll when said additional supporting means is over said slots.

8. In a rolling mill according to claim 4 having a removable bridge member arranged in front of said housings having a pair of upper and lower supporting tracks, each pair adapted to serve as continuations of said first and second track means of said housings,

a working roll receiving means arranged adjacent to the side of said bridge member opposite said hous ing for receiving a pair of the rolls withdrawn from said housings,

said receiving means including two pairs of supporting tracks for receiving two pairs of working rolls arranged side by side, and

means for engaging the back end of said lower working roll for withdrawing a pair of working rolls from said housings, said engaging means including support members for engaging said second track means.

9. In a rolling mill according to claim 8 wherein said receiving means includes a second bridge having a pair of tracks for supporting the back chock of said uppermost working roll when received by said receiving means.

10. In a rolling mill according to claim 8 including means for positioning said first and second track means in operative alignment with said supporting tracks of said bridge.

1 1. In a rolling mill according to claim 8 wherein said receiving means comprises a car,

means for moving said car in an axial direction with respect to said working rolls,

said car having means for receiving a side shifter,

means for moving said side shifter perpendicular to said axial direction and relative to said car and having means for supporting said two pairs of support ing tracks of said receiving means, and

said car having means for carrying said bridge.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 T5L1,,L1 26 Dated I August 28 1973 Inventc1-(s) James ichard Adair It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 63, the following should be deleted: "Fig. 1 actually showing the chocks 214. of the upper backup roll 16 separated from the screws 26 since this drawing is meant to depict the roll changing position of the work rolls. In this case the pressure-block assemblies 27 that are provided between the chocks 2L| of the upper backup roll 16 and the bottom of the screws 26 have been removed to the right, as shown in Fig. l. The sled 25 at the Column L line 59 "not" should read now Column 6; claim 3, line 1h, "said" should read side Signed and sealed this 25th day of June l97h.

(SEAL) Attest:

C. MARSHALL DANN EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer FORM uscoMM-Dc 60376-P69 Q .5. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 2 I959 O-JSG'3S. 

1. In a rolling mill comprising, a housing, a pair of working rolls arranged on the opposite sides of the passline of said mill and each having a drive side bearing chock and an operating side bearing chock received in said housing, said bearing chocks at the respective ends of said working rolls being arranged to form cooperative pairs of bearing chocks, said cooperative pairs of bearing chocks at the drive side being split in a manner that the adjacent surfaces thereof can be spaced from said mill passline during roll changing, said cooperative pair of bearing chocks at the operating side being nested in a manner that one of the bearing chocks thereof is received and carried by the other bearing chock, and means for supporting said drive side bearing chocks to maintain them spaced from said mill passline when moved into and out of said mill during roll changing.
 2. In a rolling mill according to claim 1, including separate track means for separately supporting each bearing chock of said cooperative pairs.
 3. In a rolling mill according to claim 1, including means adjacent the portion of said housing that receives the operating side bearing chocks for supporting said working rolls from said mill and including means for continuing said spaced supporting of said drive said bearing chocks.
 4. A rolling mill comprising: a pair of spaced-apart housings, a pair of cooperative working rolls arranged one above the other and having bearing chocks on their front and back ends received in said housings, a backup roll for at least said uppermost working roll having bearing chocks on its front and back ends received in said housings, said back chocks of said working rolls each being vertically guided in said one housing, said front chock of said uppermost working roll being guided vertically in said other housing, said front chock of said lowermost working roll being received and vertically guided in said front chock said uppermost working roll, said chocks of saiD uppermost working roll each having a supporting means, said front chock of said uppermost working roll having an additional support means, said chocks of said lowermost working roll each having a supporting means, first track means arranged adjacent to the chocks of said uppermost working roll for supporting these chocks during roll changing, and second track means arranged adjacent to the chocks of said lowermost working roll for supporting these chocks during roll changing.
 5. In a rolling mill according to claim 4 where said first track means includes a pair of spaced-apart first supporting tracks extending between said housings adjacent to the top of said chocks of said uppermost working roll, and second and third pairs of supporting tracks formed on said chocks of said backup rolls adapted to serve as a continuation of said first supporting tracks, said second track means includes a fourth pair of supporting tracks carried by and extending between and through said housings adjacent the bottom of said chocks of said lowermost working rolls, said fourth pair of supporting tracks having openings for receiving said additional supporting means, said back side chocks of the lowermost working roll having a pair of supporting means spaced apart sufficiently to span said openings.
 6. In a rolling mill according to claim 5 wherein said first supporting tracks are carried by said chocks of said backup roll.
 7. In a rolling mill according to claim 5 wherein said openings comprise slots formed in each of said fourth pair of supporting tracks for receiving said additional supporting means of said front chock of said uppermost working roll, and wherein said supporting means of said front chock of said uppermost working roll and said additional supporting means thereof are so arranged that said supporting means support the front chock of said uppermost working roll when said additional supporting means is over said slots.
 8. In a rolling mill according to claim 4 having a removable bridge member arranged in front of said housings having a pair of upper and lower supporting tracks, each pair adapted to serve as continuations of said first and second track means of said housings, a working roll receiving means arranged adjacent to the side of said bridge member opposite said housing for receiving a pair of the rolls withdrawn from said housings, said receiving means including two pairs of supporting tracks for receiving two pairs of working rolls arranged side by side, and means for engaging the back end of said lower working roll for withdrawing a pair of working rolls from said housings, said engaging means including support members for engaging said second track means.
 9. In a rolling mill according to claim 8 wherein said receiving means includes a second bridge having a pair of tracks for supporting the back chock of said uppermost working roll when received by said receiving means.
 10. In a rolling mill according to claim 8 including means for positioning said first and second track means in operative alignment with said supporting tracks of said bridge.
 11. In a rolling mill according to claim 8 wherein said receiving means comprises a car, means for moving said car in an axial direction with respect to said working rolls, said car having means for receiving a side shifter, means for moving said side shifter perpendicular to said axial direction and relative to said car and having means for supporting said two pairs of supporting tracks of said receiving means, and said car having means for carrying said bridge. 